Chapter 23: Uther and the Rescue of Kavak and Adria

Being recovered from his wounds and with rage within him, Hakkan mustered the full might of his monstrous armies and, with Voln at his side, marched against Damarkan, which fell before them. So it was that Shylar stood against Hakkan with the full might of her Veshwe and Waynwarings, with her son, Tannun-Maruth, at her side. And with them stood Gungorn and Firngald and Jarginnaris, who were her most powerful servants. And there was a great battle at the gates of Paradorn and the lands of Damarkan were stained with the blood that flowed there. And as the two great armies clashed, so Shylar and Hakkan fought and the battle between them shook the ground and caused the air to clap with thunder and ripple with energy, for both Hakkan and Shylar were mighty powerful.

So it was that Voln came to the aid of her son, as she had done before, and unlooked for by Shylar did drive a blade into her and Shylar was done for and fell and there was a great loss in the Veshwe and their hearts gave out and they were defeated and Tannun-Maruth forced to retreat with the Veshwe into the great forests of Henipur, where they regrouped and prepared for their end. And the Waynwarings went with Gungorn, or Firngald, and hid, though not with Jarginnaris who also fell that day. So Hakkan came to Henipur and looked to destroy it, but was hampered by the trees and the undergrowth, which grasped and clawed at their feet, which Tannun Maruth called against them, for he alone now maintained the struggle, with the Veshwe that had followed him and who now alone defended it.

And so Uther came to Damarkan, from Arrasia, with his great army of men at his side, and Hakkan was surprised, for he had not foreseen this, and Uther came to the aid of Tannun-Maruth and the men of Arrasia drove into the hordes of Hakkan and a second great battle was fought upon the fields of Damarkan and the Veshwe now came out to fight and stood side by side with men and they shed their blood together and died together.

From Wynord came Thim and from Tharad came Olgden and with them was a host of Ikkuin, for they sought revenge upon Hakkan for the demise of Shylar, who had bore them, and they also made war with Hakkan. And the war was doubled and much blood was shed and the lives of many were lost, but still the ranks of Hakkan's army could not be broken, for they were fearsome and filled with evil.

Uther's men drove tirelessly against the massed ranks of Hakkan's hordes, retreating, regrouping and charging, retreating, regrouping and charging, five times, until the armies of Hakkan were in disarray and Hakkan himself felt a disquiet within him, for he could see the rage of Uther and the Spear of Onnus, Ered, that had caused him such pain and knew that he had seen him before in Herophet and he felt a curse were upon him and that this human might kill him if they fought. So a panic took him and he felt the pain of his old wound, which fed his fear, and saw his armies being destroyed by the strength of men and turned and fled from the field, with Voln and what remained of them.

So there was victory, but Shylar was lost to them and Damarkan strewn in the bodies of its children. And Uther's heart yet raged and he called upon those that stood in the field to rally themselves again and regroup and make chase, for Kavak and Adria and Huthain were still captive and their release was due. So Uther led them down the River Mothex, as a great armada, and they came to Herophet and destroyed what they found there and stood before the gates of Herophet and called forth Hakkan to pay for his crimes and release the captives long held. But no response came, for Hakkan had to Sota retreated, with Voln, and there took refuge while his mind was filled with panic and despair.

So it was that Uther tore asunder the great gates of Herophet and marched in, his great army sweeping all aside, and they made their way into the dungeons, where Uther had been once before, and there came to Kavak and Adria, who were glad to be rescued, for ill had been their time in the dungeons of Herophet. Three times had Adria produced new offspring in the darkest of places, two sons of Hakkan, Hayn and Yerat, and to Kavak, Destor. But Huthain was with them not, for Condos had come to Herophet under orders from Olmus, her mother, to bring to her the offspring of Hakkan and Adria, which she had done. But there she had found Huthain and was moved by him and took him also to Mulhata.

Kavak, Adria and Destor were thus rescued, as was Ky, now also released from his servitude to Shylar and Aslah in his own right, and taken from Herophet to Damarkan, where they would recover. But Uther was still not done and he rallied his men for a further journey to Sota where they called forth Hakkan once again. And Voln sent out her minions against Uther, but they were brushed aside, until Hakkan knew his fate was before him and he shrugged off his fear and called forth the greatest of his servants and they came before Uther and his army of men and Hakkan accepted whatever it was that fate would deliver. So they made war and many on both sides were slain and fell upon the frozen wastes of Sota.

And there Uther and Hakkan fought and even though Uther was but a man, against the might of the immortal Hakkan, he could not be easily brushed aside and the struggle between them was vicious and both were struck many times and Hakkan suffered the point of Ered, which opened up old wounds. But the power of Hakkan was great and as Uther tired, Hakkan was renewed and doubled his efforts and Uther found himself greatly weakened. So it was that Uther was defeated and there slain upon the wastes of Sota and his army of men captured or killed, with only one, Wesdan, returning safely to Damarkan, taking with her Ered, so that she might lay it with Uther. And Hakkan cast the body of Uther into the River Mothex, where Oida carried him back to Damarkan.

Adria, who had been returned to Damarkan, heard news of the murder of her mother, Shylar, and despaired and no longer found joy within her, for it seemed to her that she had lost all. So she came to Uther upon the banks of the River Mothex, where his body lay, and his death mask moved her greatly, for there was both greatness and tenderness there, and she gave to him life immortal and he awoke and was taken by her sadness and her beauty.

So it was that Tannun-Maruth, in his pain, sundered Henipur from Damarkan, with only the River Mothex as a thread between them, and there took Vihahn, and also the Veshwe. Ky also followed Tannun-Maruth for he was now mighty powerful, being Shylar's servant no more and being free to choose his own course. And to Gungorn and Firngald, also free of their servitude, were given some of the lands of Henipur, where they made their homes, with the Waynwarings that went with them. And to Uther and Adria was also given some of Damarkan, which was called Cerador, and Wesdan, who had traveled with Uther since the beginning, returned to him Ered, the great Spear of Onnus, and went to Cerador also, to sit by Uther's side.

And in Cerador did Adria bare Feyzeu to Uther and for a time it seemed that she might be happy, but the pain in her heart would not leave her and the sadness grew and she would roam alone and fill the lakes with her tears. And so it was that Adria enjoyed the lands of Damarkan no more and her heart was cold and full of sorrow and she laid down in Uther's arms and slept and awoke never again and Uther laid her in the heart of Cerador, in a perpetual sleep of despair, so that all those whose eyes did fall on her would be entranced and love her and he swore his chastity and his enmity to Hakkan and he were now mighty powerful, being himself mortal no more, but instead Aslah, as was the gift from Adria.